Chapter 26 - Approaching Issei
"As expected, they followed," Roy muttered.
"Tracking so openly, though? Aren't you worried Rias will spot you?"
The two fallen angels tailing him—Mittelt and Kalawarner—seemed convinced he was an ordinary human.
Their pursuit was hardly subtle; they spread their wings, blended into the night sky, and trailed him from above.
To an average person, their aerial stalking might've gone unnoticed.
But Roy, with strength rivaling a Middle-class Devil, easily sensed their presence.
He shrugged it off and headed home to rest.
"Seems like an ordinary guy," Mittelt perched with Kalawarner on a tree near Roy's villa.
After observing, they detected no unusual aura.
"Living alone, huh?" Kalawarner's eyes linger on Roy with a hint of envy.
His features stirred her interest.
"Kalawarner, cool it," Mittelt said, exasperated.
"We're on a mission. Save your urges until the job is done."
The mission took priority.
Desires could wait.
"Tch, such a fine catch, and I can't act on it yet," Kalawarner grumbled, reluctantly turning away.
She vowed to find a chance for a "closer encounter" later.
Finding nothing suspicious, the two spread their wings and flew back to the abandoned church.
"They're gone?" Roy confirmed, sensing no lingering presence outside.
He lay on his bed and began using the Sacred Gear extraction technique replicated from Raynare.
Complex lines and symbols flooded his mind, embedding into his memory.
Initially unfamiliar, they grew clearer as the technique's knowledge merged with his understanding.
Within half a minute, Roy fully grasped the skill.
The technique comprised two parts: the Sacred Gear extraction technique, which removed a Sacred Gear from its host, and the Sacred Gear integration technique, which fused it into a new host.
"The extraction process takes longer than I'd hoped," Roy said, frowning.
Contrary to his expectations of a swift process, the technique required about an hour.
In the anime, the lengthy preparation gave Issei and the others time to storm the church and rescue Asia.
"I'll need the perfect moment," Roy mused.
With Raynare monitoring Issei, Roy had to strike when she was absent to avoid interruptions.
If push came to shove, he'd resort to violence.
"If I'm interrupted, I'll just eliminate them," Roy decided.
Killing all but one fallen angel would suffice.
Using the fallen Angels as leverage, he could ensure Asia still reached Kuoh Town, as in the anime.
Over the next few days, Roy practiced the Sacred Gear extraction technique.
From initial stumbles, he progressed to a seamless process.
Though the technique sounded advanced, it wasn't overly complex.
With repeated practice, it became second nature.
Powerful beings could rip a Sacred Gear from a host by killing them and seizing it forcibly.
Weaker ones, like Roy, relied on these techniques to trap the Gear.
The extraction technique was a cunning workaround—cumbersome but effective.
"Raynare and her group are meeting again?" Roy checked the church's cameras before bed.
Every three days, the four fallen angels gathered to update each other on their mission's progress.
This was their third meeting since Roy's initial encounter.
"Perfect opportunity."
He changed clothes, hopped on his motorcycle, and sped toward Issei's house.
Parking in a secluded corner, Roy scouted for surveillance.
Finding none, he used his agility to scale the wall and slip into Issei's second-floor bedroom.
Past midnight, Issei was fast asleep, oblivious to the intrusion.
Roy approached, lightly touching him to ensure he wouldn't wake, then moved him from the bed to the floor.
With preparations complete, Roy began the Sacred Gear extraction technique.
Issei lay sprawled, arms outstretched like a crucified figure.
Demonic power flowed from Roy's fingertips, tracing intricate lines around Issei and etching magic circles.
The circle pulsed with energy, dancing in the air before sinking into Issei's body.